Freezer



Nov. 27, 1962 A. F. CONTO 3,065,611

FREEZER Filed Feb. 16. 1961 l 8 R. f

2, i a aw INVENTOR MA -oo restart Patented Nov. 27, 1962 A he 3,065,611FREEZER Armando F. Conto, Chicago, 111., assignor to Freez-KingCorporation, Chicago, Ill, a corporation of Illinois Filed Feb. 16,1961, Ser. No. 89,834 7 Claims. (Cl. 62298) This invention relates toimprovements in freezers and, more particularly, to freezers of the typeused to make ice cream, frozen custard, and similar frozen desserts.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a freezer having arotatable beater in a freezing chamber, and wherein the beater may bereadily removed from the freezing chamber to permit cleaning,sterilization and/ or repair thereof as well as the interior of thefreezing chamber, and at the same time reduce the possibility ofcontaminants entering the freezing chamber when the beater is removedtherefrom.

It is a further and more specific object of the present invention toprovide a freezer of the type stated in which the beater is driven by adrive shaft projecting into the freezing chamber through a wall thereof,the drive shaft being supported by bearings adjacent to and exteriorlyof the said freezing chamber. A bellows-type seal is provided to reducethe possibility of seepage of the refrigerated mix outwardly ontobearings or of bearing lubricant and foreign matter into the freezingchamber. The seal is independent of the beater and is, therefore,maintained when the beater is removed from the freezing chamber,permitting more thorough cleaning and sterilization of the freezingchamber.

It is also an important object of the present invention to provide afreezer of the type stated in which the bean ings are mounted in ahousing adjacent to the freezing chamber wall through which the driveshaft projects. A lubricant seal is interposed between the bearings andwall in spaced relation to the wall, leaving a space or buffer zonewithin the housing between the wall and lubricant seal. The housing hasa drain opening in communication with said zone so that any seepage oflubricant past the lubricant seal or of mix past the sealing meanstherefor will pass into the buffer zone and drain therefrom.

In the drawing:

FlG. 1 is a longitudinal fragmentary sectional view of a freezerconstructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the freezer as seenfrom line 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 3, 4 and are fragmentary sectional views taken along lines 33, 4-4and 5-5, respectively, of FIG. 1.

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the drawing.

Referring now in more detail to the drawing, which illustrates apreferred embodiment of the present invention, A designates a freezercomprising a housing 1 having a horizontally extending tubular shell 2therein which forms an enclosing wall of a freezing chamber 3. The frontend of the shell 2 is turned radially outwardly to form a flange 4,which projects through an opening 6 in the housing front wall 7, and atits radially outermost part 8 the flange 4 is secured to the inside ofthe front wall 7. Surrounding the shell 2 are refrigeration coils 9 forfreezing ice cream or similar frozen dessert mix within the chamber 3.Mounted over the rear end of the shell 2 is a casting 11 having anupwardly opening feed tube 12. through which mix may be admitted at therear upper end of the shell 2 to the freezing chamber 3. The casting '11also includes a plate 13 which constitute a rear wall for the freezingchamber 3.

Disposed over the front end of the shell 2 is a door 14 which provides aclosure for the opening 16 at the front of the shell 2. The door 14 haslaterally projecting ear-s 17, 18, which receive knurl-headed screws 19,20 by which the door 14 may be secured to a shell-support member 22 orother suitable part of the housing 1. A gasket 23 is interposed betweenthe door 14 and flange 4. At its lower end the door 14 is formed with alongitudinal bore 24 which communicates with a rotatable shutoff valve26 having a valve orifice 27 and discharge tube 28 through which frozenmaterial may be discharged from the freezing chamber 3. A handle 29 isprovided for opening and closing the valve 26.

Rotatably mounted within the freezing chamber 3 is a beater 31 havingscraper blades 32, 33 suitably secured thereto. One end of the beater 31has a hub 34 which is journaled on an axially extending spindle 36integrally formed on the inside of the door 14.

The other end of the beater 31 also has a hub 37 provided with an axialbore 38 which is square in cross section and receives thecross-sectionally square end 39 of a drive shaft 41. The drive shaft 41projects horizontally outwardly of the freezing chamber 3 through alarge opening 42 in the wall 13, below the feed tube 12. The drive shaft41 extends coaxially through a housing 43 secured by bolts 44 (one beingshown) to the outside of the wall 13. A gasket 46 is interposed betweenthe housing 43 and wall 13. Adjacent to the wall 13, the housing 43 hasa downwardly opening drain tube 45. Mounted on the drive shaft 41 is abearing sleeve 46 which terminates at its inner end in axially spacedrelation to the wall 13. The bearing sleeve 46 has a transverse slot 47radially therethrough and in axial alignment with an annular slot 43 onthe drive shaft 41. A key 49 fits into the slots 47, 48 to key thebearing sleeve 46 and drive shaft 41 against relative axial movement.The outer end of the drive shaft 41 is cut down to form opposed flats51, 52, which fit against correspondingly spaced flats 53-, 54 on theouter end of the bearing sleeve 46. The bearing sleeve 46 has at itsouter end an axial keyway 56 for receiving a key 57 by which the hub 58of a pulley 5? may be secured to the bearing sleeve 46. A set screw 61may be threaded into the hub 58 for engagement with the key 57.

Surrounding the outside of the housing 43 is a U-bolt 62, which may beheld by nuts 63 (one being shown) to a bracket 64. The bracket 64 isjoined to a suitable supporting frame (not shown) for the housing 1.

Mounted on the bearing sleeve 46 are spaced ball bearings 63, 64, thebearing 63 fitting against a shoulder 66 on the bearing sleeve 46. Thebore of the housing 43 is annularly grooved for receiving snap rings 67,68, and the bearing sleeve 46 is similarly grooved for receiving thesnap rings 79, 71, 72, thereby to retain the bearings 63, 64 againstaxial displacement. Adjacent to the snap ring 67, the diametricallyenlarged end of the bearing sleeve 46 has a grease seal 73 mountedthereon. It will be seen that the bearings 63, 64 and grease seal 73 arecontained in a part 43a housing 43, which is remote from the wall 13.The part 43b of the housing between the seal 73 and wall 13 forms abuffer zone or space 69 between the wall 13 and bearing-grease sealassembly, the buffer zone 69 being in communication with the drain tube45.

Within the freezing chamber 3 the drive shaft 41 has a diametricallyenlarged collar 74 having a shoulder 75 for receiving a plastic thrustwasher 76, which is preferably formed of a fluorocarbon resin of thetype sold under the trademark Teflon. Mounted on the drive shaft 41adjacent to the thrust washer 76 is an annular, bellowstype sealingmember 77 which surrounds the opening 42. The sealing member 77 may befabricated of flexible, white polychloroprene rubber of the typeordinarily used in dairy equipment. The sealing member includes an axialfiange 78 against; the washer 76, substantially radial portions 79, 81joined by a bellows section 80, and an axial flange 82 against the Wall13. Sufficient thrust on the sealing member 77 is applied through thewasher 76 to provide a good seal across the opening 4-2.

When the pulley 59 rotates during operating of the freezer, the driveshaft 41 will rotate the beater 31 to agitate the mix within thefreezing chamber 3. The mix may rise to a level above the opening 42.However, the sealing member "77 remains fixed and prevent mix fromentering the buffer zone 69. Furthermore, the sealing member 77 preventslubricant or other foreign matter from Within the buffer zone 69 fromentering the freezing chamber 3 through the opening 42. However, ifthere should be seepage of mix past the sealing member 77 into thebuffer zone 69' or seepage of lubricant past the grease seal 73 into thebuffer zone 69, the seepage will drain outwardly through the drain tube45.

When it is desired to remove the beater 31 from the freezing chamber 3,the screws 19, 29 are removed, whereupon the door 14 may then be removedfrom the front end of the frezer housing 1. The beater 31 is thenaxially withdrawn from the freezing chamber 3 through the opening 16without removal of the drive shaft 41. This is possible because of theseparable telescoping connection between the shaft end 39 and hub 37.The axial position of the drive shaft 41 remains such as to maintain thesealing member 77 sealing-wise over the opening 42 due to the fact thatthe shaft a1 is keyed to the bearing sleeve 46, which is, in turn,prevented from axial movement. Consequently, the seal across the opening42 is maintained independently of whether or not the beater 31 is in orout of the freezing chamber 3. This is important because bearinglubricant and other foreign matter are thus prevented from entering thefreezing chamber when the beater 31 is removed from the freezing chamber3, with the result that thorough cleaning and sterilization is permittedof the parts within the chamber 3.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes, I haveherein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention. Itis, however, to be understood that the invention is not limited to theprecise construction herein shown, the same being merely illustrative ofthe principles of the invention. What is considered new and desired tobe secured by Letter Patent is:

1. In a freezer having means forming a freezing chamber, a heaterrotatable in the freezing chamber, a drive shaft outwardly of thechamber-forming means and projecting through an opening in a wallthereof axially of the heater for driving the beater, means forming anaxially separable connection between the drive shaft and one end of thebeater, the chamber-forming means having another opening adjacent to theother end of the heater and through which the beater is axiallyremovable, a closure for said last-mentioned opening, and meansindependent of the heater for sealing the first-mentioned opening, saidlast-named means including a sealing member mounted on the part of theshaft within the chamber and surrounding the first-mentioned opening,and means on the shaft for applying axial thrust on the sealing memberin the direction toward said wall for urging the sealing member axiallyagainst the Wall 2. In a freezer having means forming a freezingchamber, a beater rotatable in the freezing chamber, a drive shaft inaxially separable telescoping connection with one end of the'beater andprojecting from within the chamber outwardlly through an opening in awall of the chamberforming means, said chamber-forming means havinganother opening adjacent to the other end of the heater and throughwhich the beater is axially removable, a closure for said opening, saidfirst-mentioned opening being below the level at which mix may bepresent in the freezing chamber, a housing adjacent to said wallexteriorly of the chamber, said drive shaft extending into the housing,a sleeve over the drive shaft and being within the housing, the sleeveand drive shaft being rotatable together and being keyed againstrelative axial movement, bearing means in the housing and mounted on thesleeve, shoulder-forming means on the part of the drive shaft within thechamber and presented axially toward said opening, a sealing membersurrounding the first-mentioned opening and including spaced radialportions joined by a bellows section, said sealing member being on saiddrive shaft and supported at one end by the shoulder-forming means foraxial thrust-wise engagement against the inside of said chamber wall toform a seal over said firstmentioned opening independently of thebeater.

3. In a freezer having means forming a freezing chamber, a beaterrotatable in the freezing chamber about a substantially horizontal axis,a drive shaft for the beater exteriorly of the chamber and projectinginto the chamber through a wall of the chamber-forming means, meansforming a coaxial separable connection between the drive shaft and thebeater, a housing exteriorly of the chamber and adjacent to said walland into which the drive shaft extends, a sleeve over the drive shaftand being within the housing, the sleeve and drive shaft being rotatabletogether and being keyed against relative axial movement, bearing meansin the housing and mounted on the sleeve for journaling the sleeve anddrive shaft, means fixing the axial position of the bearing meansrelative to the housing, a shoulder on the part of the drive shaftwithin the chamber and presented axially toward said opening, abearing-forming washer mounted on the shaft against the shoulder, and aresilient sealing member mounted on the shaft against the washer, saidsealing member being urged by the washer thrust-Wise over the opening toform a seal thereacross independently of the v beater.

4. In a freezer having means forming a freezing chamher, said meansincluding a chamber wall, a housing adjacent to the exterior of saidwall and extendingaway therefrom, a heater rotatable in said freezingchamber, a drive shaft in said housing and projecting into the chamberthrough an opening in said wall for driving the beater, said openingbeing below the level at which mix may be present in the freezingchamber, bearing means in the housing for journaling the drive shaft,first sealing means in said housing for sealing the bearing means, saidfirst sealing means being adjacent to the bearing means and beingbetween the bearing means and the wall and spaced from the wall, thepart of the housing between the wall and first sealing means having adrain opening, and second sealing means within the chamber for sealingsaid opening in the wall, the drain opening being in substantiallyunobstructed communication with the opening in the wall and the firstsealing means whereby seepage of material past either of said sealingmeans will pass out of the housing through said drain opening.

5. In a freezer having means forming a freezing chamber, a beaterrotatable in the freezing chamber about a substantially horizontal axis,a drive shaft for the beater exteriorly of the chamber and projectingthrough an opening in a wall of the chamber-forming means andterminating within the chamber, means forming a coaxial separableconnection between the drive shaft and the beater, a housing exteriorlyof the chamber and adjacent to said wall and surrounding the opening,said drive shaft being within said housing, a sleeve over the driveshaft and being within the housing, the sleeve and drive shaft beingrotatable together and being keyed against relative axial movement,bearing means in the housing and mounted on the sleeve in axially spacedrelation to the wall, means for fixing the axial position of the hearingmeans relative to the housing, first sealing means mounted on the sleeveadjacent to the bearing means and axially spaced from said wall, saidhousing having a drain opening intermediate to the first sealing meansand Wall, and second sealing means within the chamber and independent ofthe beater for sealing said opening in said chamber wall, said secondsealing means being in unobstructed communication with the opening inthe wall and the first sealing means whereby seepage of material pasteither of said sealing means will pass out of the housing through saiddrain opening.

6. In a freezer having means forming a freezing chamber, a beaterrotatable in the freezing chamber about a substantially horizontal axis,a drive shaft for the beater exteriorly of the chamber and projectingthrough an opening in a wall of the chamber-forming means andterminating within the chamber, means forming a coaxial separableconnection between the drive shaft and the beater, a housing exteriorlyof the chamber and adjacent to said wall and surrounding the opening,said drive shaft being within said housing, a sleeve over the driveshaft and being within the housing, the sleeve and drive shaft beingrotatable together and being keyed against relative axial movement,bearing means in the housing and mounted on the sleeve in axially spacedrelation to the wall, means for fixing the axial position of the bearingmeans relative to the housing, first sealing means mounted on the sleeveadjacent to the bearing means and axially spaced from said wall, saidhousing having a drain opening intermediate to the first sealing meansand wall, and second sealing means within the chamber and mounted on theshaft and being urged by means on the shaft independently of the beaterinto sealing engagement across said opening in said chamber wall, thedrain opening being in substantially unobstructed communication with theopening in the wall and the first sealing means whereby seepage ofmaterial past either of said sealing means will pass out of the housingthrough said drain opening.

7. In a freezer having means forming a freezing chamher, a beaterrotatable in the freezing chamber, a drive shaft outwardly of thechamber-forming means and projecting through an opening in a wallthereof axially of the beater for driving the beater, means forming anaxially separable connection between the drive shaft and one end of thebeater, the chamber-forming means having another opening adjacent to theother end of the beater and through which the beater is axiallyremovable from the chamber, a closure for said last-mentioned opening,and means for sealing the first-mentioned opening when the heater is inoperative position in the chamber and when the heater is removed fromthe chamber, said last-named means including a sealing member mounted onthe part of the shaft within the chamber and surrounding thefirst-mentioned opening, and means on the shaft and independent of thebeater for applying axial thrust on the sealing member in the directiontoward said wall for urging the sealing member into axially directedpressure against the wall to seal said opening, thereby to inhibitleakage of contaminants through the opening and into the chamber whenthe heater is removed from the chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,559,032 Ta-cchella July 3, 1951 2,560,664 Sammy July 17, 19512,604,307 Swenson July 22, 1952 2,913,169 Wilsmann Nov. 17, 19592,916,106 Duckett Dec. 8, 1959 2,961,853 Cohrt Nov. 29, 1960 2,962,879Patty Dec. 6, 1960 2,971,800 Ruthner Feb. 14, 1961

